Free nursery places

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Hi, I am expecting another baby in February and won´t be entitled to maternity leave as I got pregnant a few weeks before I started my job. My son who is 2.5 STILLdoesnt sleep through so Im dreading two kids....but one thing thats kept me going is knowing that my son will be entitled to free nursery care from 3....and at least I can have 2 days a week of being able to take the odd na with the wean.

Yesterday I found out that he misses the entitlement by minutes (born 12.15am on 1st April) whichis such bad news - he wont get a place til September and things will be fairly tight as I wont be getting any pay. Not sure would be able to pay for nursery. Feeling desperate.

Is there any way around this or do I have to suck it up?

There is no way round it unfortunately. The rules and cut offs are set in stone and rarely changed (have never known it in all my years workin in nurseries).

Are you entitled to maternity allowance?

Go to the jobcentre and ask about Maternity Allowance, you should be entitled to it if you are not receiving and statutory maternity

More here

Have the rules on maternity leave changed? When I was pregnant with DS I became pregnant a month before I started my job and was still entitled to maternity leave and pay! Maybe that was just in my job though....

You're entitled to SMP if you have been working for your employer continuously from when you're one week pregnant or something.

Will you be entitled to tax credits? Because they tale nursery fees into account and it will be increased slightly.

Do you have the 'two year old scheme' near you? This offers up to 15 hours from the term after a child's second birthday.

It's really hard missing out by a few minutes, but actually many of the children born between 1 Jan and 31 March won't get a place either, simply because there is such a shortage of places in many parts of the country and because of how the school system works. Schools usually have one intake in September while nurseries accept children termly, resulting in a shortage of places for the Christmas and Easter intake.

To be entitled to smp you must be employed for 26 weeks before the 15th week before the baby is due.

If you are employed but not entitled to smp then you should be able to get maternity allowance instead. If you cannot get either of these you will automatically be tested for esa.

Many areas are now introducing free nursery entitlement for 2 year olds but at the moment it is not universal. You have to meet certain criteria which will be dependent on your local authority.
Maybe you could speak to your health visitor or your children's centre if you have one.

Thanks everybody. Know Im not a special case or anything and there´s plenty in my shoes - just seems to tough having to wait a whole five months....

We get flying start places from the age of two which is five afternoons a week (or mornings) might be worth asking your health visitor if there is any chance of this in your area? I also know of another area near mine that the children start full time nursery 9 - 3.30 from the day after they are three. So it might be worth finding out what the situation for things is in your area as they all seem to be different.